Four (Five) Corners Activity: What is reading comprehension? How is comprehension best taught? What past reading experiences (positive and negative) are most memorable? How should you measure progress in reading comprehension? Should/How Should reading comprehension instruction be modified for English language learners?
Teaching Content is Teaching Reading: Daniel Willingham's take on things...notice the role of prior knowledge and inferring to understand the author's underlying meaning
(if you would like to explore more ideas about inferring, view the video resources above).
EXTRA CREDIT: Create an example of thinking aloud about inferencing using the EduCreations App - see example by Dr. Coiro using a phrase from Arnold Lobel's The Camel Dances
Literacy Work Stations in Elementary School: Enjoy a free chapter from Debbie Diller's (2005) Practice with Purpose: Literacy Work Stations for Grades 3-6.
Read Sweet, A. P., & Guthrie, J. T. (1996). How children's motivations relate to literacy development and instruction. The Reading Teacher, 49, 660-662.
Homework: Cornett, Chapter 4 (p. 79-99) - Pay attention to the five factors for assessment (learner, task, text, context, and teaching); Assessment for learning and differentiated instruction and PARTICULAR
Students Crafting Big Ideas: See a video of 5th graders and a "Headlines" activity from Ron Ritchardt's book Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners
For planning units connected around a big idea, try Ink Think Tank to search for non-fiction books around topics your students love that are tied to national educational standards
Homework: Understanding the Challenges of Expository Texts
Read the three short articles below and type a one page synthesis that explains: (1) Why are expository texts harder to comprehend than narrative texts? and (2) What features in particular make expository texts so challenging to read?
Cornett Textbook: Explicit Teaching of Text Characteristics (Ch. 5, p. 136-144).
Moss. B. (2004). Teaching expository text structures through information trade book retellings. The Reading Teacher, 57(8), 710-718.
2. Download the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts (see Common Core Standards- Click on "Language Arts Standards") and keep a copy on your computer for reference in your teaching. This is an important document.
Read the Introduction (pages 1-8) and be prepared to discuss the key points.
Also skim to notice the differences between the College and Career Anchor Standards (p. 10, 18, and 25) and the K-5 standards for Literature (p. 11-12), Informational Text (p. 13-14), Foundational Skills (p. 15-17), Writing (p. 19-21), Speaking & Listening (p. 23-24), Language (p. 26-29), and Complexity of Text (p. 31-32).
Be prepared to discuss and apply these standards in a class activity.
Class Activity: Planning for your comprehension lessons (Work in small groups to plan your lesson for next class using the lesson guidelines provided by Dr. Coiro)
Homework:
Read Textbook: Ch. 5 (p. 117-139) on Explicit Teaching and consider ideas in the context of your group lesson plan activities
Plan with your group for your comprehension lesson
Finish the last few items on today's worksheet that links each learning objective to a standard in the Common Core.
Work on Student Strategy Interview (due Oct. 11 or Oct. 16)
October 9: Teaching Your Narrative and Expository Text Lessons
Class Activity: Teach your comprehension lessons
Homework: Continue working on your Student Strategy Interview (Due Oct. 11 or October 16)
Homework: Study for Quiz #1 on Oct. 11
Core Areas of Reading Instruction (Based on National Reading Panel Report)
Instructional Routines for Teaching Reading Comprehension (What types of things should teachers do Before/During/After reading as part of an effective lesson)
Five factors/conditions for success that affect comprehension and how teachers can influence each factor
Ways to create a supportive, organized, and motivating classroom literacy community (consider the video activities, Noticing Good Teaching reflections, and class discussions)
Assessing learners: factors to consider when planning your instruction
Assessing text difficulty: factors that make texts difficult to comprehend
Main ideas vs. big ideas (compare/contrast and apply to new text)
Key aspects of launching a text (pre-reading activities)
Scaffolding students' understanding of making inferences
October 11: Quiz and Reflection on Comprehension Lessons
Quiz #1
Small group activity: Reflection on your own lesson and your peers' lesson - complete together during class - bring home to complete individual reflection to hand in next class
Homework:
Read Chapter 10: Organizing Main Events with Embedded Comprehension Practices
Complete 1 page typed reflection of your lesson and how to improve for next time (after joint in-class reflection)
Finish your Student Strategy Interview if not handed in today. Final due date is Tuesday October 16.
October 2: Assessing Texts to Plan Instruction
October 4: Aligning Lessons to The Common Core Standards
October 9: Teaching Your Narrative and Expository Text Lessons
October 11: Quiz and Reflection on Comprehension Lessons
October 16: Designing a Literacy Lesson Plan
SEE NEXT PAGE OF CLASS NOTES FOR DETAILS...
Class Slideshow: